Good morning everyone! I’m about to head out for a dentist appointment, but I wanted to take a few quick minutes to write something. I wanted to write about the need to be thankful everyday and every moment of our lives. Thanksgiving is around the corner, and of course that’s a day in which the importance of giving thanks is emphasized even more. As Christians the Bible teaches us that we should be thankful continuously. Thankful for the good times and even thankful for the bad times. Because at the end of the day, everything works together for our good.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28
So, I originally started this post a couple days ago and didn’t get a chance to finish it. Tuesday was a hectic day that had me and my son driving back and forth for about four hours. This was followed up by a health concern of a family member. Wednesday came and went and I actually went to sleep around 11:00 PM which is early for me. I knocked out but here I am, Thursday morning to finish this post. The situation from Tuesday discouraged me a bit, but it made me reflect on what I initially wanted to write.
It’s always easier to thank God when things are going well for you. Enjoying those moments of peace and joy is necessary. I believe God wants us to enjoy those moments because He provides them for us. When I was writing the post the first time, I felt pretty good. Then Tuesday happened and I didn’t feel as great. But it helped me remember that God doesn’t just want us to be thankful in the good times. God wants us to be thankful in the bad and discouraging times as well.
I always look back at Job as a point of reference when I’m experiencing hardship. My struggles don’t compare to his, but his story gives us an example. Job lost everything. He lost his farms, livestock, workers, and his children. Imagine waking up to this news. I think all of us would feel discouraged and hopeless. But the Bible tells us that Job’s first reaction was to bless God.
Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. – Job 1-20-22
Job didn’t complain or curse God. His first reaction was to bless the name of the Lord. He knew that just like God gave him all the blessings he had enjoyed up until that point, God could also take them away. But, it wasn’t about the blessings, it was about the giver of those blessings.
Think about how you desire others to love you. Would you like it if someone only valued you for what you give them, or would you prefer them to love you simply for who you are? I think all of us would prefer the latter. I would. I believe God also prefers this. God is a generous God and is more than willing to help His children. But He also delights when we give Him thanks and show Him we love Him simply for who He is.
Everyday is a good time to give thanks. When we wake up we can thank God for remembering us and for giving us another day of life. When we’re ready to call it a day, we can thank Him for the day’s provision. When we find reasons to be thankful, well find less reasons to complain. God invites us to have a thankful attitude. We can learn from Job. Job had lost it all, but in the middle of the crisis, he continued to believe God and to give Him the glory.
Thanks for reading. I hope this post was encouraging to your life. If you enjoyed it, please consider sharing it with friends and family. You can stay connected with Revival in Christ by following us on Instagram and Facebook. You can support the platform by clicking here. Until next time, God bless you!
